by David Chorlton
Follow the road that never
was paved. It runs between the seasons
where your footprints burn away
behind you. Once you have chosen it
you must continue to its end.
Here is a compass
that points at the stars,
a flask filled with darkness
to pour across your hands when the sun
is most intense, and a coin
for tossing when the time comes to decide
whether the left fork or the right
is the one you have to choose.
Many came this way before you
and their own thirst
swallowed them whole.
Others chose the short cut
which turns into a circle. You can still
see dust devils toss
their shadows into the air.
Walk at night
and dream by day.
Never stop to share memories with your fellow
travelers who will slow you down.
Dress in the colours of dusk.
Follow the scent of nectar
when flowers bloom in sympathy
with you, but be careful
of the thorns that shine by day
in their auras of heat.
I can sell you no more than your portion
of luck, and promise
nothing more than that someone is waiting
to arrest you. Look them
in the eye and ask for their papers.
Ask them what it means to be legal. You have paid
to be where you are. Your freedom
is worth more than theirs.
David Chorlton's interests include birds, sport (specifically European football) as a means to understand society, very old music, and the passage of people between cultures. Origami Condom published his online chapbook Dry Heat and another new group of poems is available as Border Sky at www.davidchorlton.mysite.com.
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